Automobile starting-crank.



L. MICHABLS.

\ AUTOMOBILE STARTING CRANK.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 15, 19l0.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

w s E m W A TTOR/VEY.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNTT

. 7 a. q as. t 1 In nu. i

LEVIN IVIICI-IAELS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE STARTING-GRANK.

Application filed June 15, 1910. Serial No. 568,953.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVIN MIOHAELS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomobileStarting-Cranks.

My invention relates to starting cranks for automobiles, and moreparticularly those automobiles which are started from the side of thebody. As is well known, in this type of automobile a short-armedstarting crank is employed which must be revolved between the side ofthe car and i the side step. This makes the operation of the crankexceedingly difficult and in fact dangerous to the operator and, becauseof the inability to properly get at the crank when cranking the machine,and the strained position necessary when operating the same, theoperator often becomes fatigued and unable to start the machine.

My invention provides means whereby the above objections are overcomeand by which the above named type of cars may be easily and convenientlystarted.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forming part ofthis specification, in which like characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in the different views.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device attached toanautomobile and in a position ready to be used. Fig. 2 is a view of thestarting crank. Fig. 3 is a front View of the crank standard. Fig. 4: isa sectional view of the crank standard taken on the line A-B of Fig. 3.

5 represents a portion of the starting side of an automobile body, thatportion through which the clutch-member end of the engine crank-shaftprojects, and 6 represents the side step of the auto to which I secure apart of my device.

7 is the crank which is provided in the ordinary manner with the handle8, arm 9, clutch member 10 and shaft extension 11. The shaft 12 is madesufliciently long so that the crank arm will swing clear of the outeredge of the side step 6.

13 is the crank supporting standard, which is foldably mounted upon theside step 6 by means of the brackets 14. The standard 13 has legs 15 and16 the lower ends of which are rotatably secured to the brackets 14 bymeans of the bolts 17. The

upper end of the standard 13 is provided with a cap 18 which is hingedat one side of the standard by means of the hinge-pin 19. The said capand standard are bored out so as to provide a bearing for the startingcrank when it is placed therein. So as to be able to quickly lock thecap 18 in place and to quickly and easily unlock the same, I provide aspring 20, which is secured to the leg 16 at some distance below the capas shown in Fig. 3. The spring at its upper end is provided with a notch21 which fits over the outer edge of the cap 18 when the same is in itsclosed position and forms a simple and effective fastener for the same.

Secured to the step 6 and disposed directly beneath the lower ends ofthe legs 15 and 16 of the standard are springs 22. These springs may beprovided with grooves or indentations and the lower ends and sides ofthe legs 15 and 16 with lugs fitting into said grooves or indentationsas a means for rigidly holding the standard in its upright and foldedposition and obviously any other suitable means may be employed foraccomplishing this end or if desired, the standard may be rigidlysecured to the side step of the automobile without departing from thespirit of my invention.

When it is desired to use my device the standard is raised to itsupright position, as it is shown in the drawings, and the upper end ofthe spring is pressed back with the finger or thumb and the cap 18 isopened. The end 11 of the crank is now inserted into the enginecrank-shaft clutch member and the shaft 12 laid in the bearing in thestandard, whereupon the cap 18 is pressed down upon the shaft and issecurely locked in place by the spring 20. Thus it will be seen that thelength of the arm 9 of the starting crank may be made any desired lengthand that the same may be revolved with great ease, as there is nothingto make the crank diflicult of access as is the case with the presentstyle of starting crank as hereinbefore pointed out.

hen the engine has been started the crank is preferably grasped in theright hand and while giving the same a slight upward pressure, thespring 20 is pressed back with the thumb, whereupon the starting crankmay be removed after which the standard may be folded down and out ofthe way upon the step 6.

Obviously some modifications of the debrackets, a cap vrotatably tailsof my invention may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention and I do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment hereinshown and described.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. The combination with an automobile, its engine crank-shaft and sidestep; of an extended starting crank and a supporting standard secured tosaid side step in line with said crank-shaft and provided with a caphinged to said standard and a cap spring, said spring being secured tothe side of said standard, whereby the said cap may be securely held inplace when the said start-- ing crank is being operated and quicklyreleased when desired.

2. The combination with an automobile, its engine crank-shaft and sidestep; of an extended starting crank, brackets secured to said side step,a supporting standard rotatably secured at its lower ends to saidmounted to the upper end of said standard, a spring secured to saidstandard engageable with said cap and means for holding said standard inits upright or in its folded position, whereby the arm oi said startingcrank may be brought out beyond the outside of said step and the crankdetachably held in position by said standard.

3. The combination with an automobile, its engine crank-shaft and sidestep; of an extended starting crank, brackets secured to said side step,a supporting standard rota- I tably secured at its lower ends to saidbrackets, a cap rotatably mounted to the upper end of said standard, aspring secured to said standard engageable with said cap and springssecured to said side step, so disposed as to bear against the bottoms ofthe lower ends of said standard when said standard is in its uprightposition and against the sides of said lower ends when the standard isin its folded position, whereby the arm of said starting crank may bebrought out be yond the outside of said step and the crankdetachablyheld in position by said standard.

4. The combination with an automobile, its engine crank-shaft and sidestep; of an extended starting crank, brackets secured to said side step,a supporting standard rotatably secured at its lower ends to saidbrackets, a cap rotatably mounted to the upper end of said standard, aspring secured to said standard engageable with said cap, lugs providedon the bottoms and sides of the lower ends of said standard, and springssecured to said side step and each provided with a groove eachengageable with one of said lugs when the said standard is in itsupright position and engageable with the other of said lugs when saidstandard is folded, whereby the arm of said starting crank may bebrought out beyond the outside of said step and the crank detachablyheld in position by said standard.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

LEVIN MIGHAELS.

lVitnesses:

HENRY MIoHAnLs, J. WM. ELLIS.

